diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index e515a22403..7299bfb577 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -2818,8 +2818,10 @@ void Application::initializeDisplayPlugins() {
             [this](const QSize& size) { resizeGL(); });
         QObject::connect(displayPlugin.get(), &DisplayPlugin::resetSensorsRequested, this, &Application::requestReset);
         if (displayPlugin->isHmd()) {
-            QObject::connect(dynamic_cast<HmdDisplayPlugin*>(displayPlugin.get()), &HmdDisplayPlugin::hmdMountedChanged,
+            auto hmdDisplayPlugin = dynamic_cast<HmdDisplayPlugin*>(displayPlugin.get());
+            QObject::connect(hmdDisplayPlugin, &HmdDisplayPlugin::hmdMountedChanged,
                 DependencyManager::get<HMDScriptingInterface>().data(), &HMDScriptingInterface::mountedChanged);
+            QObject::connect(hmdDisplayPlugin, &HmdDisplayPlugin::hmdVisibleChanged, this, &Application::hmdVisibleChanged);
         }
     }
 
@@ -6414,6 +6416,14 @@ void Application::resetSensors(bool andReload) {
     QMetaObject::invokeMethod(DependencyManager::get<AudioClient>().data(), "reset", Qt::QueuedConnection);
 }
 
+void Application::hmdVisibleChanged(bool visible) {
+    if (visible) {
+        QMetaObject::invokeMethod(DependencyManager::get<AudioClient>().data(), "start", Qt::QueuedConnection);
+    } else {
+        QMetaObject::invokeMethod(DependencyManager::get<AudioClient>().data(), "stop", Qt::QueuedConnection);
+    }
+}
+
 void Application::updateWindowTitle() const {
 
     auto nodeList = DependencyManager::get<NodeList>();
diff --git a/interface/src/Application.h b/interface/src/Application.h
index c3896a64e4..0c92b746d3 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.h
+++ b/interface/src/Application.h
@@ -382,6 +382,8 @@ public slots:
     void resetSensors(bool andReload = false);
     void setActiveFaceTracker() const;
 
+    void hmdVisibleChanged(bool visible);
+
 #if (PR_BUILD || DEV_BUILD)
     void sendWrongProtocolVersionsSignature(bool checked) { ::sendWrongProtocolVersionsSignature(checked); }
 #endif
diff --git a/libraries/display-plugins/src/display-plugins/hmd/HmdDisplayPlugin.h b/libraries/display-plugins/src/display-plugins/hmd/HmdDisplayPlugin.h
index ea11832e94..a56daaad83 100644
--- a/libraries/display-plugins/src/display-plugins/hmd/HmdDisplayPlugin.h
+++ b/libraries/display-plugins/src/display-plugins/hmd/HmdDisplayPlugin.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ public:
 
 signals:
     void hmdMountedChanged();
+    void hmdVisibleChanged(bool visible);
 
 protected:
     virtual void hmdPresent() = 0;
diff --git a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.cpp b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.cpp
index 67197f1ade..f10aba7920 100644
--- a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.cpp
+++ b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ bool OculusBaseDisplayPlugin::beginFrameRender(uint32_t frameIndex) {
         _hmdMounted = !_hmdMounted;
         emit hmdMountedChanged();
     }
+    if (ovr::isVisible(status) != _visible) {
+        _visible = !_visible;
+        emit hmdVisibleChanged(_visible);
+    }
 
     _currentRenderFrameInfo = FrameInfo();
     _currentRenderFrameInfo.sensorSampleTime = ovr_GetTimeInSeconds();
diff --git a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.h b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.h
index f71fb8ece8..547d3ee5fe 100644
--- a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.h
+++ b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusBaseDisplayPlugin.h
@@ -48,4 +48,5 @@ protected:
     ovrViewScaleDesc _viewScaleDesc;
     // ovrLayerEyeFovDepth _depthLayer;
     bool _hmdMounted { false };
+    bool _visible { true };
 };
diff --git a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusDisplayPlugin.cpp b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusDisplayPlugin.cpp
index c062b53c90..a34e647a5e 100644
--- a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusDisplayPlugin.cpp
+++ b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusDisplayPlugin.cpp
@@ -134,6 +134,10 @@ void OculusDisplayPlugin::hmdPresent() {
         return;
     }
 
+    if (!_visible) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     PROFILE_RANGE_EX(render, __FUNCTION__, 0xff00ff00, (uint64_t)_currentFrame->frameIndex)
 
     {
diff --git a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusHelpers.h b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusHelpers.h
index 0a131e4f15..bdfc4434bb 100644
--- a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusHelpers.h
+++ b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusHelpers.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ struct ovr {
 
     static inline bool quitRequested(const ovrSessionStatus& status) { return status.ShouldQuit != ovrFalse; }
     static inline bool displayLost(const ovrSessionStatus& status) { return status.DisplayLost != ovrFalse; }
+    static inline bool isVisible(const ovrSessionStatus& status) { return status.IsVisible != ovrFalse; }
     static inline bool reorientRequested(const ovrSessionStatus& status) { return status.ShouldRecenter != ovrFalse; }
     static inline bool hmdMounted(const ovrSessionStatus& status) { return status.HmdMounted != ovrFalse; }
     static inline bool hasInputFocus(const ovrSessionStatus& status) { return status.HasInputFocus != ovrFalse; }